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Country Information Bulletin COUNTRY INFORMATI ON BULLETIN Immigration and Nationality Bulgaria 1/2004 Directorate December 2004 CONTENTS 1 Scope of document 1.1 - 1.4 2 Geography 2.1 - 2.2 3 Economy 3.1 - 3.2 4 History 4.1 - 4.8 5 State Structures 5.1 - 5.4 The Judiciary 5.5 - 5.12 Legal Rights/Detention 5.13 - 5.13 Death Penalty 5.14 Internal Security 5.15 - 5.20 Prison and Prison Conditions 5.21 Military Service 5.22 - 5.23 Medical services 5.24 - 5.28 6.A Human Rights Issues Overview 6.1 - 6.5 Freedom of Speech 6.6 - 6.7 Freedom of Religion 6.8 - 6.10 People Trafficking 6.11 - 6.17 6.B Human Rights – specific groups Ethnic Minorities 6.18 - 6.19 Macedonians Minority 6.20 - 6.25 Roma Minority 6.26 - 6.37 Turkish Minority 6.38 - 6.42 Organised Crime and corruption 6.43 - 6.51 1 Scope of Document 1.1 This Bulletin has been produced by the Country Information and Policy Unit, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, to provide information about the current human rights situation in Bulgaria. The information contained in this bulletin has been obtained from a wide variety of recognised sources. It does not contain any Home Office opinion or policy. 1.2 This Bulletin has been prepared for background purposes for those involved in the asylum / human rights determination process. The information it identifies is not exhaustive. It concentrates on the issues most commonly raised in asylum / human rights claims made in the United Kingdom. 1.3 The Bulletin is sourced throughout. It is intended to be used by caseworkers as a signpost to the source material, which has been made available to them. The vast majority of the source material is readily available in the public domain. 1.4 This Bulletin and the accompanying source material are publicly disclosable. Where sources identified in the Bulletin are available in electronic form the relevant link has been included. The date that the relevant link was accessed in preparing the Bulletin is also included. Paper copies of the sources have been distributed to nominated officers in Asylum Caseworking Directorate and all Presenting Officer Units. 2. Geography 2.1 According to Europa publications, Central and South-Eastern Europe 2004, 4th edition regional surveys of the world (Europa RS 2004), the Republic of Bulgaria lies in South-eastern Europe, on the east of the Balkan Peninsula. The country is mainly mountainous, particularly to the west, but fertile plains and valleys lie between the mountain ranges, as a result Bulgaria’s farms yield abundant crops and livestock. The country is bordered by Romania to the north, by Serbia and Montenegro to the north-west and by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to the south-west, by Greece to the south and by Turkey to the south-east. The country has an eastern coastline along the Black Sea. Its total area is 110,994 sq km (42,855 sq miles). [1a] (p.143) 2.2 Europa RS 2004 noted that, Central Bulgaria is traversed from west to east by the Balkan Mountains, which separate the Danubian plains in the north from the Thracian plains of Eastern Rumelia in the south-east. The country is drained by three main rivers, the Danube (Dunav) which forms the northern border with Romania, the Struma in the south-west, and the Maritsa in the south of the country. [1a] (p.143) 3. Economy 3.1 Europa RS 2004 noted that, prior to 1950 Bulgaria was almost entirely an agrarian based economy. Following the introduction of communism after the Second World War, Bulgaria, like many other socialist countries, embarked on a major programme of industrialisation. The industrialisation of Bulgaria led to significant demographic shifts, as people moved from rural areas to the cities. In the post war era, Bulgaria developed its new industrial sector to provide high-technology goods for Soviet bloc countries, with around 70 – 80 percent of all imports and exports being traded with Soviet bloc countries. [1a] (p.151-152) 3.2 Europa RS 2004 noted that, the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s left Bulgaria without it’s main trading partners. Bulgaria is low in natural resources and was heavily dependent upon the Soviet Union for subsidised fuel and energy and for the raw materials it needed for its manufacturing industry. The loss of subsidised energy was a particular blow to the Bulgarian economy leaving it open to the fluctuating international market. As a result, Bulgaria experienced hyperinflation in the early 1990’s, reaching 338% in 1991. [1a] (p.151-152) 3.3 Europa RS 2004 noted that, following a severe financial crisis in 1996/1997, the economy stabilised and has since grown at a slow and steady rate. [1a] (p.151-152) In February 2004, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) noted that, Bulgaria had made significant economic advances in the preceding two years. Having successfully sold the country’s two largest state owned banks and most of the banking sector has also been successfully privatised. Most other state owned assets have also been sold. The FCO considered that the key challenges for the government are to attract greater foreign investment and to complete the privatisation process. However, the FCO stated that a major obstacle to economic growth was corruption and that this should be tackled together with creating greater transparency and stability in the business sector. [4] (p.3) 4. History 4.1 Europa World Year Book 2003’ 44th edition. Volume I (Europa WYB 2003) noted that, after almost 500 years of (Turkish) Ottoman rule, Bulgaria declared itself an independent kingdom in 1908. During both the First and Second World Wars it allied with Germany and joined in the occupation of (former) Yugoslavia in 1941. In 1944 Soviet troops occupied Bulgaria and in September of that year the Fatherland Front (a left-wing alliance) seized power with the assistance of the USSR. The party installed a government headed by Kimon Georgiev. In September 1946 the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum and a republic was proclaimed. [1b] (p.879) 4.2 Europa WYB 2003 noted that, the first post-war election was held in October 1946, and the Fatherland Front won the majority of seats (364) in the 465-member National Assembly. In November 1946 Georgi Dimitrov, the First Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) became Chairman of the Council of Ministers in a government that comprised members of the Fatherland Front. All opposition parties were abolished and a new Constitution, based on the Soviet Model, was adopted in December 1947, when Bulgaria became a People's Republic. [1b] (p.879) 4.3 Europa WYB 2003 noted that, In the late 1980’s, inspired by the economic reforms in the Soviet Union and a movement towards greater freedom of expression and openness (Glasnost), the Bulgarian government allowed a measure of freedom in the nomination of candidates, other than those endorsed by the Communist Party. In March 1988, individuals representing public organisations and worker’s collectives stood for the first time as independent candidates and gained about one-quarter of the votes cast. However, in July 1988 anti-reform members of the Plenum (central committee) caused the dismissal of several prominent supporters/leaders of the reform process. [1b] (p.879) 4.4 Europa WYB 2003 noted that, growing frustration at the pace of reform led to the emergence of opposition groups centred mainly around the Agrarian People’s Party. The Agrarian People’s Party, that had shared dual legal political status with the Communist Party reconstituted itself as the main independent opposition party, leading pro-democracy demonstrations in November and December 1989. Large demonstrations of between 100,000 and 200,00 people demanded democratic change causing the Communist Party to voluntarily give up power in February 1990. [1b] (p.879) Wikipedia (The free encyclopaedia) noted that, in August 1990 the first free elections since 1931 were held. [5] (p.13) 4.5 Europa WYB 2003 noted that, following an electoral campaign marred by acts of intimidation and violence, elections to the 400 member Grand National Assembly were held in two rounds in June 1990. In mid-November 1990 the Grand National Assembly voted to rename the country the Republic of Bulgaria and to remove the communist state symbol from the flag. [1b] (p879-880) 4.6 Wikipedia (The free encyclopaedia) noted that, like other post-communist regimes in Eastern-Europe, Bulgaria found the transition to capitalism more painful than expected. [5] (p.13) Europa RS 2004 noted that, throughout 1992 labour unrest was endemic as the Government’s programme of price liberalisation brought hardship to most sectors of the economy with hyperinflation (which reached a high of 338% in 1991) causing greater distress. [1a] (p.151-152) Europa WYB 2003 noted that, widespread industrial unrest eventually led to the fall of the first post-communist Government in November 1992. [1b] (p.880) 4.7 Wikipedia noted that, during the early to late 1990’s severe economic problems coupled with mass unemployment continued to affect the stability of the fledgling democracy causing a large number of changes in Governments. Each Government wrestled with the problems of liberalising the economy and moving it further towards a capitalist system whilst attempting to minimise the impact of wide-ranging privatisation of previously state owned industries. By the late 1990’s continued high unemployment caused a large number of Bulgarians to seek employment in other European countries. The remaining population became increasingly dissatisfied with all the main political parties.
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